Project information

Counselling for Young People - Bassetlaw District

To continue and expand the provision of free 1-2-1 counselling for children/young people aged 6 - 25 in dispersed, rural areas of Nottinghamshire. No other such support is available here other than through CAMHS, for which users have to wait upto 18/12 and travel into the towns - we work locally.

Charity information: CASY (Counselling and Support for Young People)

Need

Rural North Notts is an area of significant social disadvantage, including former coalfield areas. Most of our 'clients' are from families suffering the more extreme effects of financial difficulties, including family breakdown, physical/emotional/sexual abuse, debt, and conflict..The effects on Children/Young People (CYP) include depression, self-harm, anger, etc. They need a means to process their experiences, work through their feelings, and develop resilience, improving their self-esteem.

Solution

Our 60 qualified volunteer counsellors work in schools and community venues empowering CYP to devise coping strategies. Improvements in the mental well-being of our clients, and the associated changes in behaviour that often ensue, are to the benefit also of the families of these CYP, as well as to the communities in which they live which may have been impacted by anti-social behaviour that often accompanies such mental health difficulties. There is no other access here to such therapy.

Aim 1

To help CYP to achieve good mental health and resilience, using Humanistic therapies

Activities

» Provision of 1-2-1 therapy using qualified volunteer counsellors working in schools and community venues » Provision of workshops in schools around subjects pertaining to good mental health, tackling stigma and letting CYP know what's available » Training of counsellors in creative therapeutic techniques to which CYP often respond very well, including play therapy for children in particular

We collect and collate feedback forms from clients at the end of therapy, recording improvement in self-esteem, behaviour, relationships, how they feel CASY has helped them

Aim 2

To help CYP to learn techniques/skills to maintain good mental health ocne achieved

Activities

» This again is a primary function of the 1-2-1 counselling in schools and community venues

Again, feedback is sought from clients as to what they have got out of CASY therapy, including strategies and techniques etc (as appropriate)

Aim 3

Where relevant, to support clients to re-engage with education and end anti-social behaviour

Activities

» Once again, the primary activity towards this aim is 1-2-1 counselling to guide CYP to realise the benefits to themselves of making 'right' choices » Health and mental health workshops in schools to facilitate CYP appreciating how to achieve best outcomes for themselves

Feedback is sought from schools/parents/carers and clients themselves, and is the best indicators of success with this Aim

Aim 4

To provide on-going support and training opportunities for our volunteer counsellors

Activities

» Continuation of regular training, both in therapeutic techniques and on relevant issues such as Safeguarding, working with other agencies, etc » Continued telephone support for volunteers, both by members of CASY staff and by more experienced volunteers, and regular volunteer group meetings » Signposts to (and provision of, where appropriate) Clinical Supervision, required monthly in line with BACP Ethical Framework

We record the number of workshops held, numbers of attendees, etc. At volunteer meetings we ask for feedback on the level of support and any suggestions for improvement

Impact

Improved and continuing mental health of children and young people working 1-2-1 with CASY therapists bring about a range of long term changes, from simple improvements in self-esteem and all the associated benefits to families and communities in terms of improved relationships with family/peers/authority and re-engagement with education. We record and store ending feedback, and our area managers regularly contact schools and referrers to ascertain any difficulties and on-going improvements

Risk

Counselling in community venues is funded entirely from funding support provided to CASY. In schools, they pay a contribution of around a 3rd of costs, which we are now increasing incrementally. Current cuts in Local and District Government funding have removed £32K+ of funding to the Coalfield and Bassetlaw areas and we are at risk of having to cut work there. We are currently working hard to secure non-regulatory sources of funding to allow continuation of the project there - £12K remaining.

Reporting

Funders of this project can receive regular reports, detailing the number of clients seen, numbers within age-group/ethnicity, problems addressed (eg. family breakdown, depression, domestic violence, etc), number of therapeutic hours, and qualitative commentary based on client and other feedback.

Current Funding / Pledges

Location

Bassetlaw and the Notts Coalfields have a long mining history that was torn apart in the 1970/80s and remains a severely disadvantaged area in which the mental health of many children and young people is suffering accordingly. Without mental health support they will perpetuate emotional disfunctionality passed to them by their parents and the high incidence of family breakdown, domestic violence, anger, poor ambition and low self-esteem.

Beneficiaries

As well as teachers/parents and CYP themselves, our referrals come from Nacro, Emmaus Trust, GPs, Framework, Connexions, ISAS, SARC, Face It, CASH, CAMHS, and the Youth Offending Service. We work with these agencies to provide support to secure the best outcomes for the child or young person. 16 counsellors in this area will each see an average of 8-9 clients p/a (upto 145 total) and workshops to be attended by upto 250 CYP in 8 schools, to the benefit also of their families/peers/communities.

Why Us?

We have successfully run our services for over 10 years in North Notts, and more recently also in rural Lincolnshire. We have learnt what is most effective, but still seek feedback from volunteers, clients, agencies, parents etc to ensure we continue to develop as necessary. We have good working relationships with schools/other agencies in the area and provide an effective service that is otherwise not available out of the big towns or even then without around an 18-month waiting time.